Camera carrying case

ABSTRACT

A camera carrying case includes a sleeve having a camera receiving hollow and a pair of opposite open ends that are individually configured to permit camera insertion into the hollow. A pair of spaced elastic expandable strips between the open ends each interconnect a pair of spaced longitudinal edge portions of the sleeve to permit the hollow to be enlarged to accommodate different size cameras and to form a pocket between the elastic expandable strips for receiving various articles. A flap is connected to one of the longitudinal edge portions to wrap about the sleeve, but not about the elastic expandable strips, and to unwrap from about the sleeve.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to the field of photography, and inparticular to a camera carrying case.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cases intended for modern hand-held cameras, such as the 35-mm format,are designed to provide good protection for the camera without beinguncomfortable to carry or inviting attention. Some are designed toretain the camera by means of a screw that attaches the bottom of thecase to a tripod socket in the bottom of the camera. Other cases retainthe camera by means of a short strap such as in prior art U.S. Pat. No.2,565,006 issued May 29, 1950, and No. Des. 276,761 issued Dec. 18,1984.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A camera carrying case comprising:

a sleeve including front, rear and top integral portions that form acamera receiving hollow, an open bottom between the front and rearportions, and at least one open end configured to permit camerainsertion into the hollow; and

at least one elastic expandable bottom strip interconnecting the frontand rear portions across the open bottom to permit the hollow to beenlarged to accommodate different size cameras.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front, top perspective view of a camera carrying caseaccording to a preferred embodiment of the invention, showing a flapunwrapped from about a sleeve;

FIG. 2 is a front, top perspective view of the camera carrying case,similar to FIG. 1, and showing camera insertion into a hollow of thesleeve;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the camera carrying case as shown inFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the camera carrying case as shown in FIG.2;

FIG. 5 is a front, bottom perspective view of the camera carrying case,showing the flap unwrapped from about the sleeve; and

FIG. 6 is a front, top perspective view of the camera carrying case,showing the flap wrapped from about the sleeve.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention is disclosed as being embodied preferably in a cameracarrying case. Because the features of a camera carrying case aregenerally known, the description which follows is directed in particularonly to those elements forming part of or cooperating directly with thedisclosed embodiment. It is to be understood, however, that otherelements may take various forms known to a person of ordinary skill inthe art.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1-6 show a camera carrying case 10with a sleeve 12 including front, rear and top integral portions 14, 16and 18 that form a camera receiving hollow 20, and including a pair ofopposite open ends 22 and 24 that are individually configured to permitmanual insertion of a camera 26 into the hollow as shown in FIG. 2. Thefront and rear portions 14 and 16 have respective parallel longitudinaledge portions 28 and 30, separated by an open bottom 32 of the sleeve12. A pair of spaced elastic expandable strips 34 and 36 between theopen ends 22 and 24, each interconnect the spaced longitudinal edgeportions 28 and 30 to permit the hollow 20 to be enlarged to accommodatedifferent size cameras (by expanding the strips widthwise) and to form apocket 38 between the strips for receiving various articles such as thepencil 40 shown in FIG. 5. A flap 42 is connected to the longitudinaledge portion 30 to wrap about the sleeve 12, but not about the strips 34and 36, as shown in FIG. 6, and to unwrap from about the sleeve as shownin FIGS. 3 and 4. A shoulder-length strap 44 longitudinally extends frombeneath the top portion 18 to protrude from the hollow 20 at theopposite ends 22 and 24. The strap 44 is secured to the top portion 18.

The front portion 14 has a taking lens opening 46 and a front viewfinderopening 48. The rear portion 16 has a rear viewfinder opening 50 alignedwith the front viewfinder opening 48. The top portion 18 has an exposurecounter opening 52.

The flap 42 has a pocket 54 for receiving various articles, and a mirror56. See FIGS. 1-4. When the flap 42 is wrapped about the sleeve 12, itcovers the taking lens opening 46, the front viewfinder opening 48, therear viewfinder opening 50, and the exposure counter opening 52.

The sleeve 12 and the flap 42 have known hook and loop pads 58 and 60commonly referred to as “Velcro” that engage when the flap is wrappedabout the sleeve.

The invention has been described with reference to a preferredembodiment. However, it will be appreciated that variations andmodifications can be effected by a person of ordinary skill in the artwithout departing from the scope of the invention.

PARTS LIST

10. camera carrying case

12. sleeve

14. frontportion

16. rear portion

18. top portion

20. camera receiving hollow

22. open end

24. open end

26. camera

28. longitudinal edge portion

30. longitudinal edge portion

32. open bottom

34. strip

36. strip

38. pocket

40. pencil

42. flap

44. strap

46. taking lens opening

48. front viewfinder opening

50. rear viewfinder opening

52. exposure counter opening

54. pocket

56. mirror

58. hook pad

60. loop pad

What is claimed is:
 1. A camera carrying case comprising: a sleevehaving a camera receiving hollow and a pair of opposite open ends eachconfigured to permit camera insertion into said hollow; at least oneelastically expandable strip interconnecting a pair of spacedlongitudinal edge portions of said sleeve to permit said hollow to beenlarged to accommodate different size cameras; and a flap connected tosaid sleeve to wrap about said sleeve, but not about said at least oneelastically expandable strip, and to unwrap from about said sleeve.
 2. Acamera carrying case as recited in claim 1, wherein said flap has apocket for receiving various articles.
 3. A camera carrying case asrecited in claim 1, wherein said flap includes a mirror.
 4. A cameracarrying case as recited in claim 1, wherein said sleeve includes afront portion having a taking lens opening and a front viewfinderopening, a rear portion having a rear viewfinder opening aligned withsaid front viewfinder opening, and a top portion integral with saidfront and rear portions and having an exposure counter opening.
 5. Acamera carrying case comprising: a sleeve having a camera receivinghollow and a pair of opposite open ends each configured to permit camerainsertion into said hollow, and including a front portion having ataking lens opening, a rear portion, and top portion integral with saidfront and rear portions; at least one elastically expandable stripinterconnecting a pair of spaced longitudinal edge portions of saidsleeve to permit said hollow to be enlarged to accommodate differentsize cameras; and a strap longitudinally extending from beneath said topportion to protrude from said hollow at said opposite ends.
 6. A cameracarrying case comprising: a sleeve having a camera receiving hollow anda pair of opposite open ends each configured to permit camera insertioninto said hollow; and a pair of spaced elastic expandable strips betweensaid open ends that each interconnect a pair of spaced longitudinal edgeportions of said sleeve to permit said hollow to be enlarged toaccommodate different size cameras and to form a pocket between saidelastic expandable strips for receiving various articles.
 7. A cameracarrying case as recited in claim 6, wherein a flap is connected to oneof said longitudinal edge portions to wrap about said sleeve, but notabout said elastic expandable strips, and to unwrap from about saidsleeve.